Narrative:

Last min unplanned aircraft swap at lga for flight to btv. Upon start of preflight inspection discovered aircraft had an inoperative ecu (engine fuel control unit). A review of operating manual for aircraft (mdt) discovered several operating restrictions which included no tailwind landing above 10 KTS, and many other restrictions. Based on reported btv WX and realization right at maximum tailwind limit, captain questioned judgement of dispatching this aircraft on the flight. Dispatcher agreed would be at limits but said all requirements were within criteria and released flight. Based on WX release that indicated plowing was in progress and all WX was within limits we proceeded with flight. Upon arrival in btv area found tailwind at 10 KT limit WX at minimums (RVR 2400-2600), and runway conditions/braking action reported good by preceding aircraft. Later discovered an MEL limitation of runway taxiway/ramp condition must be good or expected to be good to operate inoperative ecu aircraft under part 121. Problem: too much last min activities to allow full investigation of all factors impacting projected arrival conditions. Clearly, dispatcher should not have dispatched aircraft based on combination of many minimum conditions (visibility, ceiling, tailwind, snowing, icing conditions, etc). Corrective action: more questioning by distant dispatchers when crew questions operations. Has been discussed with management personnel and they agree and will advise dispatching staff and use situation for future training.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEL REQUIREMENT MISSED ON DISPATCH RELEASE.

Narrative: LAST MIN UNPLANNED ACFT SWAP AT LGA FOR FLT TO BTV. UPON START OF PREFLT INSPECTION DISCOVERED ACFT HAD AN INOP ECU (ENG FUEL CTL UNIT). A REVIEW OF OPERATING MANUAL FOR ACFT (MDT) DISCOVERED SEVERAL OPERATING RESTRICTIONS WHICH INCLUDED NO TAILWIND LNDG ABOVE 10 KTS, AND MANY OTHER RESTRICTIONS. BASED ON RPTED BTV WX AND REALIZATION RIGHT AT MAX TAILWIND LIMIT, CAPT QUESTIONED JUDGEMENT OF DISPATCHING THIS ACFT ON THE FLT. DISPATCHER AGREED WOULD BE AT LIMITS BUT SAID ALL REQUIREMENTS WERE WITHIN CRITERIA AND RELEASED FLT. BASED ON WX RELEASE THAT INDICATED PLOWING WAS IN PROGRESS AND ALL WX WAS WITHIN LIMITS WE PROCEEDED WITH FLT. UPON ARR IN BTV AREA FOUND TAILWIND AT 10 KT LIMIT WX AT MINIMUMS (RVR 2400-2600), AND RWY CONDITIONS/BRAKING ACTION RPTED GOOD BY PRECEDING ACFT. LATER DISCOVERED AN MEL LIMITATION OF RWY TXWY/RAMP CONDITION MUST BE GOOD OR EXPECTED TO BE GOOD TO OPERATE INOP ECU ACFT UNDER PART 121. PROB: TOO MUCH LAST MIN ACTIVITIES TO ALLOW FULL INVESTIGATION OF ALL FACTORS IMPACTING PROJECTED ARR CONDITIONS. CLRLY, DISPATCHER SHOULD NOT HAVE DISPATCHED ACFT BASED ON COMBINATION OF MANY MINIMUM CONDITIONS (VISIBILITY, CEILING, TAILWIND, SNOWING, ICING CONDITIONS, ETC). CORRECTIVE ACTION: MORE QUESTIONING BY DISTANT DISPATCHERS WHEN CREW QUESTIONS OPS. HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH MGMNT PERSONNEL AND THEY AGREE AND WILL ADVISE DISPATCHING STAFF AND USE SIT FOR FUTURE TRAINING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.